Author Notes:spring is my favorite time to visit the farmers market-some of the best local produce is in season, and it's almost hard to decide what to buy. yesterday i picked up the most amazing tender organic kale, purple beans, beets, and sweet organic berries my daughter exclaimed were the best she'd ever had! a few days back i'd had a lovely kale salad with roasted tomatoes and creamy dressing (made with sour cream and parmesan cheese) in a sample size at a fundraising event-i wanted more! i had to to make the salad-my own way. although it was delicious, i decided to add roasted beets and green beans, and make a "lighter" non dairy dressing with the ripe avocado and fresh dill i had available- so i pulled out the blender, and in went the following ingredients:
—cookingminette

before you put the salad together you will need to roast the tomatoes, beets, and garbanzo beans in the oven. for the cumin roasted garbanzo beans, soak beans overnight, then cook them in salted water until tender (you can also use cooked canned beans if you prefer). drain and bake the cooked beans spread on a tray in the oven coated with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1-2 tsps ground cumin, sea salt & pepper (to taste) in a 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes until crispy- let them cool down. slice the roma tomatoes and beets in about 1/2 inch slices, lay them on a sheet pan, sprinkle with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, a touch of cumin, and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. bake in the oven at 375 degrees for about 20-30 minutes. let the roasted vegetables cool.

wash and dry the kale (or lettuce), steam cook (or quickly boil for 2 minutes, then rinse in cold water) your green beans for a few quick minutes. assemble the salad by mixing the greens and beans with a few spoons of dressing-for the dressing: blend all the ingredients in a blender. top the dressed greens with the roasted vegetables and garbanzo beans, drizzle with more sauce-delicious and so nutritious!